PULLMAN, Wash. – Washington State’s hopes for a strong start to Pac-12 play came to a screeching halt Saturday afternoon in Pullman.
The Cougars fell to Fresno State 26-6 in front of a packed Martin Stadium crowd on Family Weekend, dropping to 1-4 overall and 0-1 in conference play.
Despite being favored heading into the matchup, WSU’s offense was completely shut down. Quarterback Caden Pinnick finished 21 of 34 for just 152 yards and an interception. The Cougar rushing attack was even worse, managing only 30 yards on the ground.
The first half was relatively competitive, with both teams trading field goals to make it 6-6 at the break. But Fresno State’s defense took over in the second half, forcing three-and-out after three-and-out. A fumble early in the third quarter set up a Fresno State touchdown that essentially put the game away.
Time of possession told the story: Fresno State controlled the ball for nearly 36 minutes compared to WSU’s 24 minutes. The Cougars were just 3 of 14 on third down conversions.
Washington State’s defense kept them in the game, holding Fresno State to field goals on multiple occasions when the Bulldogs got deep into Cougar territory. But it wasn’t enough to overcome the offensive struggles.
The Cougars will look to bounce back quickly, traveling to Logan to face Utah State on Friday night. The Aggies are also searching for answers after dropping to 1-4 with a loss to Boise State.
For WSU, bowl eligibility is slipping away fast. With a brutal schedule already in the books, another loss would make the road back nearly impossible.
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